My question is : Isnt the P in T.U.L.I.P essentially of Lorship / subtle works salvation?
No.
But I'd like to address the substance of other comments that have popped up above, before getting into what "Perseverance of the Saints" really means, biblically.
Keep in mind that these are my own opinions, but arrived at carefully.
-"OSAS" = "Once Saved, Always Saved".
Those who believe this acronym ( I grew up being taught this ) basically state it like this...
Once a person has believed on Christ, they are kept saved in the power of God to the end, no matter what.
Proponents of this tend to use 1 Peter 1:5 and a combination of passages like John 3:36, John 5:24, John 6:40 and John 10:28-29 in support of it.
"OSAS" is sometimes said to completely ignore the difference between those who profess and fall away, and those who do not.
Essentially, anyone who professes Christ and is baptized is saved,
no matter what.
-"Eternal Security" = Same as above, only with the addition of the Scriptural teaching of "wheat and tares" ( Matthew 13 ), true versus false believers.
All those who truly are Christ's, are secure in their salvation.
-"Perseverance of the Saints" = " All who are
chosen by God,
redeemed by Christ, and
given faith by the Spirit are eternally saved. They are
kept in faith by the power of Almighty God and thus persevere to the end."
Source:
Calvinism and Arminianism comparison
Basically put, no works are
required for a saint to persevere.
Yes, the Bible does indeed phrase it in a way that makes it appear that believers must persevere in their faith to
secure their salvation...
But judging a book by it's cover is never wise.
Those works deemed necessary are actually evidences of the Holy Spirit working in someone...
Yes, they are necessary, but they are necessary criteria or evidences.
Those works and enduring faith do not
determine whether or not one goes to be with the Lord...they reflect the
fact that they
are saved.
From my perspective, the "P" is best understood as an act of grace by a loving God towards His children.
They persevere in their faith
because they have been given the true gift of faith ( Ephesians 2:8 ), authored and finished by His Son ( Hebrews 12:2 ), the evidence of God's work in their lives ( Hebrews 11:1 ) and which is actually the faith "of" ( originating from ) Jesus Christ ( Galatians 2:16, Galatians 2:20, Galatians 3:22, Romans 3:22 ).
So, there are two "kinds" of faith, as the parable of the sower describes...
One that fails when tested,
and one that does not fail, no matter how hard the trials get;
Even unto death... like Stephen's faith was, like Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah's ( Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's ) faith was, like Samson's faith was and like our Saviour's faith was.
Therefore, the elect will persevere in their faith to the end, because Christ will lose none of the ones that were given to Him by His Father ( John 6:37-39 ).
His bride, spotless and without blame before Him in love.
That is the "P".